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Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Ringerud

Photo of SARAH RINGERUD

Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Ringerud

  • RESEARCH AST, METEOROLOGICAL STUDIES
  • 301.614.5496
  • NASA/GSFC
  • Mail Code: 612
  • Greenbelt , MD 20771
  • Employer: NASA

    • Brief Bio

    Sarah Ringerud received her B.S. in Mathematics and Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the M.S. and Ph.D from Colorado State University. Research interests include remote sensing of the global hydrologic cycle, atmospheric radiation, radiative transfer modeling, and surface emissivity retrieval and modeling. Recent research is focused on precipitation algorithm development for satellite passive microwave sensors as part of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) algorithm teams. Sarah currently specializes in retrievals over land and understanding of dynamic surface conditions from a radiometric perspective.

    Research Interests

    Radiative Transfer

    Atmospheric Radiation

    Surface Emissivity Retrieval and Modeling

    Precipitation

    Remote Sensing

    Global Hydrologic Cycle

    Current Projects

    Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM)

    Algorithm development with focus on passive microwave retrievals over land

    Atmospheric Observing System (AOS)

    Early radiometer algorithm development

    Positions/Employment

    1/2023 - Present

    Research Meteorologist, AST

    NASA, GSFC
    7/2019 - 12/2022

    Assistant Research Scientist

    University of Maryland, NASA GSFC
    7/2017 - 6/2019

    Postdoctoral Researcher

    University of Maryland, NASA GSFC
    7/2015 - 6/2017

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP), NASA GSFC

    Education

    PhD. Atmospheric Science; Emphasis: Remote Sensing, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 5/2015                 

    M.S. Atmospheric Science; Emphasis: Remote Sensing, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 5/2006

    B.S. Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Mathematics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 2002

    Professional Societies

    Phi Beta Kappa, 2002 - Present
    member
    American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2012 - Present
    member
    American Meteorological Society, 2000 - Present
    member
    IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society, 2012 - Present
    member

    Awards

    -UMD-ESSIC Best Paper of the Year Award 2021:

    Ringerud, S., C. Peters-Lidard, S. J. Munchak, Y. You, 2021: Applications of Dynamic Land Surface Information for Passive Microwave Precipitation Retrieval, J. Atmos. And Ocean. Tech., 38(2), 167-183. DOI: 10.1175/JTECH-D-20-0048.1

    - IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society 2020 Transactions Prize Paper Award:

    Munchak, S.J., S. Ringerud, L. Brucker, Y. You, I. de Gelis and C. Prigent, 2020: An Active-Passive Microwave Land Surface Database From GPM, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 58, 6224-6242. DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2020.2975477

     -NASA GSFC Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Lab 2017 Exceptional Scientific Achievement Award

    - NASA Group Achievement Award, Global Precipitation Measurement Mission, Post Launch Team 2015

    - NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) Fellowship 2015

    - Certificate of Excellence for Presentation, GEWEX 7th International Conference on the Global Energy and Water Cycle, July 2014

    - Alumni Award for Outstanding Paper by a PhD Student (CSU Atmospheric Science Department) May 2014

    - NASA Earth and Space Sciences Fellowship (NESSF) 2013

    - Center for Earth Atmosphere Studies Fellowship, (a cooperative fellowship linking Colorado State University and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center) 2009

    - Hilldale Fellowship for Undergraduate Research, 2001

    Publications

    Refereed

    Rahimi, R., A. Ebtehaj, G. Panegrossi, et al. L. Milani, S. E. Ringerud, and F. Joseph Turk. 2022. "Vulnerability of Passive Microwave Snowfall Retrievals to Physical Properties of Snowpack: A Perspective from Dense Media Radiative Transfer Theory." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 1-1 [10.1109/tgrs.2022.3184530]

    You, Y., C. Peters-Lidard, S. J. Munchak, et al. J. Tan, S. Braun, S. Ringerud, W. Blackwell, J. X. Yang, E. Nelkin, and J. Dong. 2021. "Improving Cross-track Scanning Radiometers’ Precipitation Retrieval over Ocean by Morphing." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 22 (9): 2393-2406 [10.1175/jhm-d-21-0038.1]

    Turk, F. J., S. E. Ringerud, A. Camplani, et al. D. Casella, R. J. Chase, A. Ebtehaj, J. Gong, M. Kulie, G. Liu, L. Milani, G. Panegrossi, R. Padullés, J.-F. Rysman, P. Sanò, S. Vahedizade, and N. B. Wood. 2021. "Applications of a CloudSat-TRMM and CloudSat-GPM Satellite Coincidence Dataset." Remote Sensing, 13 (12): 2264 [10.3390/rs13122264]

    Kidd, C., T. Matsui, and S. Ringerud. 2021. "Precipitation Retrievals from Passive Microwave Cross-Track Sensors: The Precipitation Retrieval and Profiling Scheme." Remote Sensing, 13 (5): 947 [10.3390/rs13050947]

    Milani, L., M. S. Kulie, D. Casella, et al. P. E. Kirstetter, G. Panegrossi, V. Petkovic, S. E. Ringerud, J.-F. Rysman, P. Sanò, N.-Y. Wang, Y. You, and G. Skofronick-Jackson. 2021. "Extreme Lake-Effect Snow from a GPM Microwave Imager Perspective: Observational Analysis and Precipitation Retrieval Evaluation." Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 38 (2): 293-311 [10.1175/jtech-d-20-0064.1]

    Ringerud, S., C. Peters-Lidard, J. Munchak, and Y. You. 2021. "Applications of Dynamic Land Surface Information for Passive Microwave Precipitation Retrieval." Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 38 (2): 167-180 [10.1175/jtech-d-20-0048.1]

    Munchak, S. J., S. Ringerud, L. Brucker, et al. Y. You, I. de Gelis, and C. Prigent. 2020. "An Active–Passive Microwave Land Surface Database From GPM." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 58 (9): 6224-6242 [10.1109/tgrs.2020.2975477]

    You, Y., S. Joseph Munchak, R. Ferraro, et al. K. Mohr, C. Peters‐Lidard, C. Prigent, S. Ringerud, S. Rudlosky, H. Wang, H. Norouzi, and S. Prakash. 2020. "Raindrop Signature from Microwave Radiometer Over Deserts." Geophysical Research Letters, 47 (16): [10.1029/2020gl088656]

    Randel, D. L., C. D. Kummerow, and S. Ringerud. 2020. "The Goddard Profiling (GPROF) Precipitation Retrieval Algorithm." Satellite Precipitation Measurement, 141-152 [10.1007/978-3-030-24568-9_8]

    You, Y., C. Peters-Lidard, N.-Y. Wang, et al. J. Turk, S. Ringerud, S. Yang, and R. Ferraro. 2018. "The Instantaneous Retrieval of Precipitation Over Land by Temporal Variation at 19 GHz." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 123 (17): 9279-9295 [10.1029/2017jd027596]

    You, Y., C. Peters-Lidard, J. Turk, S. Ringerud, and S. Yang. 2017. "Improving Overland Precipitation Retrieval with Brightness Temperature Temporal Variation." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 18 (9): 2355-2383 [10.1175/jhm-d-17-0050.1]

    Grecu, M., W. S. Olson, S. J. Munchak, et al. S. Ringerud, L. Liao, Z. Haddad, B. L. Kelley, and S. F. McLaughlin. 2016. "The GPM Combined Algorithm." Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 33 (10): 2225-2245 [10.1175/jtech-d-16-0019.1]

    Kidd, C., S. Ringerud, G. Skofronick-Jackson, and G. Huffman. 2016. "Precipitation retrievals from passive microwave cross-track sounding instruments." 2016 14th Specialist Meeting on Microwave Radiometry and Remote Sensing of the Environment (MicroRad), [10.1109/microrad.2016.7530515]

    Tian, Y., C. D. Peters-Lidard, K. W. Harrison, et al. Y. You, S. E. Finn, S. V. Kumar, and J. F. Turk. 2015. "An examination of methods for estimating land surface microwave emissivity." J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 120: 11,114-11,128 [10.1002/2015JD023582]

    Ringerud, S., C. D. Kummerow, and C. D. Peters-Lidard. 2015. "A Semi-Empirical Model for Computing Land Surface Emissivity in the Microwave Region." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 53 (4): 1935-1946 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1109/TGRS.2014.2351232]

    Harrison, K. W., Y. Tian, C. D. Peters-Lidard, S. E. Finn, and S. V. Kumar. 2015. "Calibration to improve forward model simulation of microwave emissivity at GPM frequencies over the U.S. Southern Great Plains." IEEE Trans. Geophys. Remote Sens., 54 (2): [10.1109/TGRS.2015.2474120]

    Ringerud, S., C. Kummerow, C. D. Peters-Lidard, Y. Tian, and K. W. Harrison. 2014. "A Comparison of Microwave Window Channel Retrieved and Forward-Modeled Emissivities Over the US Southern Great Plains." Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on, 52 (5): 2395 - 2412 [10.1109/TGRS.2013.2260759]

    Ferraro, R., C. Peters-Lidard, C. Hernandez, et al. F. J. Turk, F. Aires, C. Prigent, X. Lin, S. Boukabara, K. Gopalan, K. Harrison, F. Karbou, L. Li, C. Liu, H. Masunaga, L. Moy, S. Ringerud, G. Skofronick-Jackson, Y. Tian, and N.-Y. Wang. 2013. "An Evaluation of Microwave Land Surface Emissivities Over the Continental United States to Benefit GPM-Era Precipitation Algorithms." IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing, 51 (1): 378-398 [10.1109/TGRS.2012.2199121]

    Non-Refereed

    Tian, Y., C. D. Peters-Lidard, K. W. Harrison, S. V. Kumar, and S. Ringerud. 2014. "Land surface microwave emissivity dynamics: Observations, analysis and modeling ." Microwave Radiometry and Remote Sensing of the Environment (MicroRad), 2014 13th Specialist Meeting on 99 - 102 , ISBN: 978-1-4799-4645-7 . [10.1109/MicroRad.2014.6878917]

    Brief Bio

    Sarah Ringerud received her B.S. in Mathematics and Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the M.S. and Ph.D from Colorado State University. Research interests include remote sensing of the global hydrologic cycle, atmospheric radiation, radiative transfer modeling, and surface emissivity retrieval and modeling. Recent research is focused on precipitation algorithm development for satellite passive microwave sensors as part of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) algorithm teams. Sarah currently specializes in retrievals over land and understanding of dynamic surface conditions from a radiometric perspective.

    Publications

    Refereed

    Rahimi, R., A. Ebtehaj, G. Panegrossi, et al. L. Milani, S. E. Ringerud, and F. Joseph Turk. 2022. "Vulnerability of Passive Microwave Snowfall Retrievals to Physical Properties of Snowpack: A Perspective from Dense Media Radiative Transfer Theory." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 1-1 [10.1109/tgrs.2022.3184530]

    You, Y., C. Peters-Lidard, S. J. Munchak, et al. J. Tan, S. Braun, S. Ringerud, W. Blackwell, J. X. Yang, E. Nelkin, and J. Dong. 2021. "Improving Cross-track Scanning Radiometers’ Precipitation Retrieval over Ocean by Morphing." Journal of Hydrometeorology 22 (9): 2393-2406 [10.1175/jhm-d-21-0038.1]

    Turk, F. J., S. E. Ringerud, A. Camplani, et al. D. Casella, R. J. Chase, A. Ebtehaj, J. Gong, M. Kulie, G. Liu, L. Milani, G. Panegrossi, R. Padullés, J.-F. Rysman, P. Sanò, S. Vahedizade, and N. B. Wood. 2021. "Applications of a CloudSat-TRMM and CloudSat-GPM Satellite Coincidence Dataset." Remote Sensing 13 (12): 2264 [10.3390/rs13122264]

    Kidd, C., T. Matsui, and S. Ringerud. 2021. "Precipitation Retrievals from Passive Microwave Cross-Track Sensors: The Precipitation Retrieval and Profiling Scheme." Remote Sensing 13 (5): 947 [10.3390/rs13050947]

    Milani, L., M. S. Kulie, D. Casella, et al. P. E. Kirstetter, G. Panegrossi, V. Petkovic, S. E. Ringerud, J.-F. Rysman, P. Sanò, N.-Y. Wang, Y. You, and G. Skofronick-Jackson. 2021. "Extreme Lake-Effect Snow from a GPM Microwave Imager Perspective: Observational Analysis and Precipitation Retrieval Evaluation." Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 38 (2): 293-311 [10.1175/jtech-d-20-0064.1]

    Ringerud, S., C. Peters-Lidard, J. Munchak, and Y. You. 2021. "Applications of Dynamic Land Surface Information for Passive Microwave Precipitation Retrieval." Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 38 (2): 167-180 [10.1175/jtech-d-20-0048.1]

    Munchak, S. J., S. Ringerud, L. Brucker, et al. Y. You, I. de Gelis, and C. Prigent. 2020. "An Active–Passive Microwave Land Surface Database From GPM." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 58 (9): 6224-6242 [10.1109/tgrs.2020.2975477]

    You, Y., S. Joseph Munchak, R. Ferraro, et al. K. Mohr, C. Peters‐Lidard, C. Prigent, S. Ringerud, S. Rudlosky, H. Wang, H. Norouzi, and S. Prakash. 2020. "Raindrop Signature from Microwave Radiometer Over Deserts." Geophysical Research Letters 47 (16): [10.1029/2020gl088656]

    Randel, D. L., C. D. Kummerow, and S. Ringerud. 2020. "The Goddard Profiling (GPROF) Precipitation Retrieval Algorithm." Satellite Precipitation Measurement 141-152 [10.1007/978-3-030-24568-9_8]

    You, Y., C. Peters-Lidard, N.-Y. Wang, et al. J. Turk, S. Ringerud, S. Yang, and R. Ferraro. 2018. "The Instantaneous Retrieval of Precipitation Over Land by Temporal Variation at 19 GHz." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 123 (17): 9279-9295 [10.1029/2017jd027596]

    You, Y., C. Peters-Lidard, J. Turk, S. Ringerud, and S. Yang. 2017. "Improving Overland Precipitation Retrieval with Brightness Temperature Temporal Variation." Journal of Hydrometeorology 18 (9): 2355-2383 [10.1175/jhm-d-17-0050.1]

    Grecu, M., W. S. Olson, S. J. Munchak, et al. S. Ringerud, L. Liao, Z. Haddad, B. L. Kelley, and S. F. McLaughlin. 2016. "The GPM Combined Algorithm." Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 33 (10): 2225-2245 [10.1175/jtech-d-16-0019.1]

    Kidd, C., S. Ringerud, G. Skofronick-Jackson, and G. Huffman. 2016. "Precipitation retrievals from passive microwave cross-track sounding instruments." 2016 14th Specialist Meeting on Microwave Radiometry and Remote Sensing of the Environment (MicroRad) [10.1109/microrad.2016.7530515]

    Tian, Y., C. D. Peters-Lidard, K. W. Harrison, et al. Y. You, S. E. Finn, S. V. Kumar, and J. F. Turk. 2015. "An examination of methods for estimating land surface microwave emissivity." J. Geophys. Res. Atmos. 120 11,114-11,128 [10.1002/2015JD023582]

    Ringerud, S., C. D. Kummerow, and C. D. Peters-Lidard. 2015. "A Semi-Empirical Model for Computing Land Surface Emissivity in the Microwave Region." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 53 (4): 1935-1946 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1109/TGRS.2014.2351232]

    Harrison, K. W., Y. Tian, C. D. Peters-Lidard, S. E. Finn, and S. V. Kumar. 2015. "Calibration to improve forward model simulation of microwave emissivity at GPM frequencies over the U.S. Southern Great Plains." IEEE Trans. Geophys. Remote Sens. 54 (2): [10.1109/TGRS.2015.2474120]

    Ringerud, S., C. Kummerow, C. D. Peters-Lidard, Y. Tian, and K. W. Harrison. 2014. "A Comparison of Microwave Window Channel Retrieved and Forward-Modeled Emissivities Over the US Southern Great Plains." Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on 52 (5): 2395 - 2412 [10.1109/TGRS.2013.2260759]

    Ferraro, R., C. Peters-Lidard, C. Hernandez, et al. F. J. Turk, F. Aires, C. Prigent, X. Lin, S. Boukabara, K. Gopalan, K. Harrison, F. Karbou, L. Li, C. Liu, H. Masunaga, L. Moy, S. Ringerud, G. Skofronick-Jackson, Y. Tian, and N.-Y. Wang. 2013. "An Evaluation of Microwave Land Surface Emissivities Over the Continental United States to Benefit GPM-Era Precipitation Algorithms." IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing 51 (1): 378-398 [10.1109/TGRS.2012.2199121]

    Non-Refereed

    Tian, Y., C. D. Peters-Lidard, K. W. Harrison, S. V. Kumar, and S. Ringerud. 2014. "Land surface microwave emissivity dynamics: Observations, analysis and modeling ." Microwave Radiometry and Remote Sensing of the Environment (MicroRad), 2014 13th Specialist Meeting on 99 - 102 [10.1109/MicroRad.2014.6878917]

                                                                                                                                                                                            
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    • Last Updated: 05/26/2023